Friends Forever
by DeathByDarkness13
Summary: Sequel to Friends 'Till The End. They lay side by side, hands intertwined. Two boys that loved each other. The final clash that had ended in their deaths.. or had it? "Sasuke, I just got you back, I'm not gonna lose you again!" Naruto/Sasuke.
1. The Fox

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO. This is the sequel to "Friends 'Till The End", hope you like. :)

If you were content with the way "Friends 'Till The End" ended, then I don't recommend you reading this. I just couldn't bare the thought of leaving it where I left off, it was way too sad and I'm the one who wrote it. xD Not that this one won't be sad, too. I mean, it's Naruto and Sasuke's relationship we're talking about here, and that's not a light topic. They've been through so much. ;_;

Warning for yaoi, and of course lots of SasuNaru action.

My sincere wish is that they'll all be smiling one day. :')

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><p><strong>Friends Forever<strong>

_Crack._

"Darn it!" Sakura muttered in annoyance. She bent over to retrieve the treasured picture frame that had taken a freefall from her nightstand, light pink bangs brushing gently against her eyelids. A depressed sigh escaped her pale lips as she gazed at the cherished photo of Team 7. Beautiful memories of a time full of innocence, happiness, laughter and love, flowed over her emotional reservoir that kept them at bay. They re-opened old wounds, and welcomed the pain that Sakura tried so hard not to feel. All of those precious moments were in the past. Nothing would ever be the same now.

Naruto's face instantly filled her mind, reminding her of the promise he had made to her five years ago. The promise that he would bring Sasuke home. Her annoying blonde team-mate had left on a solo mission to search for Sasuke again without telling anyone. She had known why he left as soon as she became aware of his departure. He would never give up on Sasuke, even if it meant giving up his dream of being Hokage. It tugged at her heart; she ought to have the same faith in Sasuke as Naruto does, afterall, they were all members of Team 7. Comrades. Friends. But the heart that was once filled with hope and love, was replaced with one filled with loss and helplessness. Sakura was tired of hoping. All it ever did was crush her in the end, and after five long years without Sasuke she had given up on her hope. What remained was the memories, but those seemed unreal, like a fantasy.

Her sea-green eyes darted to a crack in the glass over the picture. It upset her greatly, and for some odd reason caused her stomach to churn uneasily.

"Oh, no! This crack runs right through Sasuke-" She gasped, her hands beginning to shake. There were two ugly cracks in the glass; one that went right through Sasuke, while the other went straight through Naruto. It distorted their faces making them nearly unrecognizable, even mangling their bodies. The only clear people in the photo now were Sakura and Kakashi-sensei.

This was a bad omen.

Eyes wide and welling with tears, Sakura turned around slowly to peek out her bedroom window. The sky outside was dark and ominous, a thick blanket of black clouds hovering over Konoha. Rain pounded against the window pane, and she could hear thunder rumbling angrily behind the clouds.

Something was wrong.. very wrong.

Fearing the worst, she placed a trembling hand over her mouth as she emitted a loud sob, failing to contain the tears gathering around her thick eyelashes.

"Naruto.. Sasuke..."

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><p>There was no warmth left in the clearing.<p>

The sky above bubbled and boiled furiously, a large, roiling mass of black clouds like tar and lava as one. Thunder roared through the pounding of heavy rain, causing the earth to tremble. The droplets that fell from the sky were freezing cold, adding an additional chill to the already icy air in the valley.

The cold, lingering presence of death.

Blood stained the sharp, jagged rocks below the waterfall, stains that even the rain could not wash away. They would remain there permanently, forever, for all eternity; like battle scars or tattoos, serving as a morbid reminder of what happened there. The Final Valley was filled with destruction, from a final clash of rivals, intent to kill. And there they lay, side by side, under the dark, stormy sky.

Two boys who loved each other.

Their pale, lifeless faces were turned to face one another, their hands intertwined tightly. They had died that way. The raven-haired boy who had followed the dark path of revenge, and the blonde boy who had stopped at nothing, even death, to save him.

The heavens were crying, mourning the loss of the two boys that had killed each other. The silence was heart-breaking.

But deep within the blonde boy, something was stirring. An evil, ragged growl, that was inaudible to the rest of the world, echoed inside the lifeless body.

_"I will not die."~_

Very slowly, the hole in the blonde boy's chest began to heal. Not completely... but just enough.

Tissues re-attached, the wound no longer a hole, but a very deep gouge of flesh. The Nine-Tailed Fox spirit refused to die; but to live, it had to save the human in which it resided. Its powerful, ominous red chakra flowed through the blonde boy's body, all the way down to the bloody tips of his fingers, determined to spark life in the corpse.

_"I will not be defeated so easily."~_

It forced its chakra through the blonde's veins and into his heart. It hated the boy and being trapped inside him, but their lives were tied together as one. The Nine-Tails didn't have long before it too, would die. Red chakra pulsated through every fibre of flesh in the blonde; the fox refused to die and give up, a trait that it shared with its keeper.

_"Get up!"~_

The bloody corpse remained eerily still. But the Nine-Tails was a powerful demon fox afterall, and had plenty of chakra to spare. It pushed and pushed for life; using all of its might and energy to get the blonde boy's heart beating again. The situation seemed hopeless. Hours passed, until finally...

_B-bmp._

_B-bmp, b-bmp, b-bmp.._

"Gyaaaughh!" Naruto gasped in agony, sitting up. He coughed up blood, wincing at the pain that shot through the deep, gory gouge in his chest. _Wait.. gouge?_ His big blue eyes widened as realization hit. _The Nine-Tails..._ He couldn't believe it; he was sitting there in the valley, the rain falling gently on his face, breathing.. "I'm alive.." Naruto said in wonder and shock. But then he froze. _No..._

His hand was connected to someone else's. The other hand was cold and limp, but was somehow still gripping Naruto's tightly. The skin of the other boy was paler than usual, a shade of ghostly white. His choppy, black hair was splayed across a lifeless face. The beautiful black orbs that were the boy's eyes weren't visible; they were closed, dark eyelashes caressing the ivory cheeks, while the black bangs brushed his eyelids. That face was turned towards Naruto...

"Sasuke!" Naruto whispered in anguish, as tears fell upon his beloved rival's corpse.

He hadn't made it.

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><p>Hey guys! =^_^= I hope you're enjoying the sequel so far, don't worry it's nowhere near done yet. ;) I promise to have lots of SasuNaruNaruSasu fluff stuff soon, just keep reading and waiting for updates! Please review, it'll make me happier than Naruto getting a lifetime supply of Ichiraku ramen. ;D

Also, if you didn't get the beginning with the picture breaking ting, it's common in Japan that if something like that happens it's a bad omen that something bad has happened to that person. It's another superstition kind of like when you sneeze it's because someone's talking about you. XD


	2. Love Conquers All

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.

So here's chapter 2, I swear I'm getting to the SasuNaru/NaruSasu stuff, just keep reading and waiting! I'm trying to post chapters as fast as I can, so I hope you like the sequel so far! :D

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><p><strong>Friends Forever<strong>

"Sasuke.. you can't be..." Naruto wouldn't accept it. He _couldn't_ accept it. How was this fair? He had somehow miraculously survived the death-blow because of the Nine-Tails, but Sasuke.. Sasuke was gone. Tears poured down his face, landing lightly on Sasuke's pale cheeks.

He had just gotten him back, only to lose him again.

Naruto wept into his rival's bloody chest, the sky weeping along with him. It was all his fault. If only he had been strong enough to bring Sasuke back the first time, when he had first left to join Orochimaru, this wouldn't have happened.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke," Naruto sobbed, clutching the raven-haired boy's damp, loose white Uchiha shirt tightly. "I'm sorry that I wasn't strong enough to save you the first time. I'm sorry I couldn't bring you back sooner. I'm sorry for being so weak." The blonde brushed the wet black bangs gently away from Sasuke's face, gazing in sorrow at his best friend.

_I wish I could go back in time.. when things were right._

Naruto looked up dazedly at the dark sky, rain splashing heavily against his face.

"Why did this happen?" he whispered up to the menacing clouds above. Naruto wasn't sure if there really was a God, but if there was, he was pretty pissed at whatever God let this happen. "I just got him back.. how could you take him away from me?" His whole body shook with rage, tears and anger making his vision blurry. The blonde shinobi stared defiantly back at the sky. A scream was slowly crawling its way up his throat.

"Why didn't you take me instead!" Naruto shouted in anguish. The sky responded with a bolt of lightning, and thunder roared back angrily. "He doesn't deserve this! You hear me? It's not fair!" Rain and tears rolled down his face, scrunched up in pain. He gazed down at Sasuke, gently cradling the limp corpse in his arms as he continued to sob. The blonde's lips brushed the raven's, warm against cold, bringing back old memories.

_Naruto hopped up on the desk in front of Sasuke's seat, and stared angrily at his rival._

_Why are they so obsessed with him, 'Sasuke, SASUKE'?_

_The young ninjas death-glared at each other, mere inches apart on the desk. The air was thick with tension at the competitiveness of the life-long rivals. _

_"Errr Naruto, quit glaring at Sasuke!" Ino and Sakura growled simultaneously. All of the girls in the class glared angrily at the blonde._

_"Yeah then I was like.. oh, sorry!" A random kid in front of the two boys turned around, apologizing for accidentally bumping Naruto. The girls' expressions changed instantly from anger to confusion._

_"Hey wait.." Ino began slowly._

_"What the.." Sakura started to ask, staring at the boys weirdly._

_The accidental bump caused Naruto to unintentionally close the distance between him and Sasuke, their mouths slightly open with shock and.. SMOOCH! There they were on the desk, rivals sharing their first kiss.. with each other. After a long moment of shock and confusion and kissing, the boys ripped apart spluttering and coughing in the opposite directions. _

_"Naruto.." Sakura's face, and the rest of the kunoichi in the class, were looking at the blonde with bloodlust, and a desire for murder. Sasuke was back in his seat, ignoring everyone again, but Naruto shuddered with fear._

_Ahhhhhh!_

Naruto smiled sadly at the memory, gently caressing Sasuke's cold cheek.

"Remember how disgusted we were?" he whispered, chuckling weakly. Why the heck couldn't he stop crying? "I think it was more the surprise of it, but I could see you blushing afterwards." Naruto's thoughts then wandered to their second kiss, when Kakashi-sensei had connected them together by their hands. He wasn't even sure how that kiss happened..

_The boys stared at the waterfall in determination, then nodded at each other in silent understanding. They were going to break this stupid sphere connecting their hands together, no matter what it took. Staring pointedly at a particularly large rock in the centre of the waterfall's base, the genin jumped, following the flow of the rushing water behind them. They landed on either side of the rock underwater, but their hands were still attached above the rock on the surface. Lungs screaming for air, they both desperately used their chakra to jump as high as they possibly could, and out of the water._

_Sasuke and Naruto stared at each other in horror, mouths open wide, and... SMOOCH! Neither one really knew the point of that action, maybe it was double CPR, who knows.. Anyway, mouths glued together, fully open, the two boys fell back into the water below, kissing the whole way down. Their faces disconnected as they hit the wet surface, gasping for air. Sasuke, only his head visible, turned to Naruto in disbelief._

_"Why is it always with you?" he asked the blonde awkwardly; it was more of a statement then a question._

_"That's my line, dattebayo!" _

_They both turned away from each other and lowered their heads slightly in the water, blowing bubbles and blushing furiously in embarrassment._

Naruto gazed down at the beautiful raven-haired boy in his lap. He bit his trembling lower lip, tasting blood and the salt of tears still running down his face. His mind kept replaying everything that had just occured before he and Sasuke had stopped breathing. Every last word they had said to each other, their final clash, the way Sasuke had kissed him with such fierceness knowing they were both going to die, their hands grasped tightly in their two-finger handshake in their final moments together...

"I need you," Naruto murmured desperately. It just wasn't right. _We should be on our way home to the village right now, together._ That's when Naruto gasped, eyes widening in shock and a sudden burst of fierce determination.

Memories flashed rapidly through his head; when Ranmaru had, in desperation, poured his own chakra into Raiga to revive his dead body, and when Lady Chiyo gave her life to resurrect a dead Gaara...

_There is still hope._

Naruto gingerly rested Sasuke's body back on the cold, wet ground. He raised his hands over the corpse, and gulped. _I may be no medical ninja like Sakura or grandma Tsunade, but I still have a nearly endless supply of chakra.. and the Nine-Tails' chakra, too. Not only that, but it's powerful. If I can just get enough chakra coursing through Sasuke's body, I may be able to save him._

"I already lost you once," Naruto whisperd fiercely. "But I'm not gonna lose you again." He placed his bloody hands on Sasuke's bare, gory chest, leaning over the raven in deep concentration. Closing his eyes tightly, he focused all of his chakra and energy into his hands, letting it seep into the boy beneath them. He forced the chakra to spread, all the way from the Uchiha's head to his toes. The blonde could feel his own body weakening, as he poured mass amounts of his chakra into Sasuke's veins. If Naruto could just get the boy's heart beating again, breathing, then everything would be alright.

_Please, let it be enough.._

The blonde shinobi continued in complete and utter focus, determined to bring his rival and friend back into existence. It was futile. But Naruto refused to give up, he would never give up, he had made a promise to Sakura that he would bring Sasuke home that he very well intended to keep. Even if it would really cost him his life, he _would_ bring Sasuke back.

"Come on, Sasuke.. breathe..." Naruto said in a strangled voice. He was losing his strength and fast. "Please.."

_"You always.. get in the way, Naruto..." Sasuke whispered gently, blood trickling down his chin._

"Breathe, get up..."

_"Hopeless little knucklehead.." Sasuke smirked._

"Sasuke.."

_"Don't let.. your dream die..." Sasuke murmured, reaching up to the blonde before his breathing ceased._

"SASUKE!"

"... Naruto?" The blonde removed his hands in surprise, staring in disbelief and weariness at the body in front of him. His aqua-blue eyes grew wide, tears beginning to spill over as he gazed downwards. The raven-haired boy's deep, black eyes were open, staring up at the blonde in confusion. Naruto buried his face in the boy's clothed, now-warm shoulder and wept.

"S-Sasuke! You're.. alive..."

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><p>There you have it folks. Keep reading, hope you're enjoying it, and I'll be posting chapter 3 asap.<p>

Yaoi action soon to come! ;)

Please review!~


	3. Home

Here's chappie 3 guys. ^-^ I'm trying to add more depth, that's why the paragraphs look longer. Also, apologies for all the short chapters.. I can't seem to write long ones.. =3= And sorry for any OOCness, they're both a lil unstable atm.. Hope this chap makes up for the lack of boy on boy action so far!

The review button is calling you ;)

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><p><strong>Friends Forever<strong>

For a long moment that stretched on for eternity, the two boys stared at each other. Sky blue into black onyx. Naruto was still trying to let it all sink in, as he panted heavily from the extreme use of chakra, and tears fell from his wide eyes, dripping onto Sasuke's face. He had actually done it.. this time, _he_ had saved Sasuke. The raven was looking up at Naruto with a dazed expression, emotions dancing openly across his features. Anguish, surprise, disbelief.. Sasuke's cheeks were slightly dusted with pink, his ragged breathing loud and labored in the quiet clearing.

The rain had stopped.

Naruto let out a choked sob. He flung his arms around Sasuke, burying his face in the Uchiha's damp, black hair.

Heart beating..

Breathing..

Alive.

"S-S-Sas..uke.." Naruto whispered weakly against Sasuke's shoulder. The tears wouldn't stop, but they were tears of relief. Everything was going to be alright. Sasuke hesitated, then wrapped his arms gingerly around the blonde's waist. Tears welled in his dark eyes as well, rolling gently down his face and being absorbed by the black fabric covering Naruto's shoulder. He pulled the blonde closer to him, basking in the warmth he felt when they touched. Sasuke wasn't entirely sure what had transpired after everything had gone black.. but he remembered hearing a soft voice, Naruto's voice, calling to him in the darkness. He had followed that familiar sound, stumbling around in the pitch-blackness until he could see the blonde looming above him. Naruto was his light in the darkness.

Suddenly, Naruto pulled back, a concerned look taking over his strained features. He quickly wiped away his tears, as if he suddenly realized he was crying, completely vulnerable, in front of Sasuke Uchiha of all people. It was a childish gesture, but Naruto needed to focus on Sasuke's wounds for the moment.

"Teme, does it hurt?" Naruto lightly brushed his hand across Sasuke's face.. so soft. This permitted a small blush from the Uchiha boy, but then his face crumpled in pain.

"I'm fine, Usuratonkachi.." Sasuke replied unevenly through gritted teeth, trying to mask the excruciating pain that shot through his chest. Naruto shook his head, peering more worriedly at the hole ripped through Sasuke's chest. They were both in really bad shape, but Sasuke was definitely worse. His chest wound was still a hole, ragged and raw, while Naruto's had healed a tiny bit from the kyuubi, leaving a nasty deep gouge. They were both drained of chakra.. well, Sasuke had some forcibly injected in him now, but they were both suffering from serious injuries and exhaustion, both emotionally and physically.

Naruto knew Sasuke was lying through his teeth, but didn't comment. Sasuke was strong. Instead he leaned down and gently brushed their lips together, like the ghost of a kiss, and then pressed his forehead against his rival's. Sasuke's sweet breath blew softly over his face as he closed his eyes.

"I'm really glad you're alive Sasuke.. I was so worried.." The Uchiha closed his eyes too, blushing at the intimate interaction. _Dobe.. I've missed this.. I've missed you.._

"You.. brought me back, somehow.. didn't you?" Sasuke murmured, his voice quivering slightly. "I was gone, but you brought me back.." Naruto grinned down at him without an answer; it was a grin filled with pure happiness and relief. He sat up slowly, hestitantly rising to his two feet. Sasuke noticed the strain in his limbs, and the way he tried to muffle a sharp wince of pain as he held himself up. _How exactly did he bring me back?_ The raven's stomach churned uneasily with guilt and gratitude. _Why does he always go so far for me..?_ His reverie broke as Naruto bent over, gingerly helping him to his feet. Sasuke nearly keeled over in pain and nausea originating from his ravaged chest. The two boys, both being severly injured, selflessly supported each other; Naruto, his arm tightly around Sasuke's waist, and Sasuke, his arm draped over Naruto's shoulders, while the blonde gripped his hand tightly. They began to walk, slowly and in sync, towards the forest on the other side of the waterfall.

"Oi.." Sasuke looked at the blonde, his nose crinkling in confusion. "Usuratonkachi, where are we going?" Naruto stared at him with a look that said 'isn't it obvious'.

"We're going home, teme," Naruto answered quietly. Sasuke's eyes narrowed, and he slowed to a halt.

"I thought I told you.. I'm not going back." The raven knew he was being cruel, and he knew the blonde didn't deserve it. But Sasuke felt uneasy even now, after everything they had been through, at the prospect of returning to their beloved village. Naruto's eyes darkened the slightest bit, into more of a cobalt blue, as they bored into Sasuke's.

"Sasuke, you know as well as I do that this is the end. You're going to return with me," the blonde said confidently. Sasuke glared at him, making a noise that sounded like 'Tch'. "I know why you're still refusing to come back, but you don't have to worry." The Uchiha shot him a questioning glance. Naruto gazed at him intensely, throwing Sasuke off balance. It was if he was seeing right through him, staring directly into his soul.

"You're afraid," Naruto whispered softly. Sasuke flinched. "You don't want to face everyone, because you feel guilty. You don't want to return, because you feel ashamed." The blonde continued in a gentle voice. "But you don't have to worry Sasuke, I'll be right there beside you. Everything will be alright." Sasuke looked as if he were about to cry again, as Naruto smiled sincerely at him. He squeezed the boy's hand. Sasuke stared at Naruto for a long time, before breaking into a weak smile. _Thank you, usuratonkachi._

The pair walked on, slow and steady, in companionable silence. Sasuke wanted to say something, anything- he wanted to tell the blonde everything, explain why he didn't return after Itachi had died, why he had kept running away.. but he couldn't bring himself to just yet.

"Ne, Sasuke." The raven turned to the sound of Naruto's soft voice. He stared at the boy in confusion; the blonde was blushing slightly and there was a hint of nervousness in his tone.

"Hn?"

"Why.. before we died, why did you kiss me?" Now it was Sasuke's turn to look embarrassed. He turned away, blushing furiously over his nose. In truth, Sasuke had no idea why. He had known it was the end for both of them, and he had just wanted to be close to the blonde. He had desired his warmth, his scent, his touch, _so_ badly.. he had needed it. That had been their third kiss. That was what broke Sasuke, shattering all of the walls he put up to hide all of his emotions. People always did say that 'the third time's the charm'.

Sasuke didn't answer for a long moment, the blonde waiting patiently for him to speak. There was no answer; Sasuke wasn't entirely sure why. It wasn't like they were lovers.. so had it been wrong to kiss him? They were rivals, but they were also best friends. But who kisses their best friend like that? His and Naruto's relationship was a complicated one.

"I.. don't know.." Sasuke answered weakly. He was avoiding Naruto's eyes. They had both been acting strange, doing strange things after 'killing each other'. "W-why did you kiss me, after I woke up?"

"I'm not sure, teme," Naruto responded quietly. "I was just so happy to see you alive, and you were so close.." Silence. They walked for what seemed like forever; the Hidden Leaf Village was quite far away. Hours passed and the sky had already been covered in a thick, velvet black quilt before the two boys spoke again.

"How are you holding up Sasuke?" Naruto asked in concern. The Uchiha grimaced.

"I'll manage until we get there.."

"We'll get Sakura to heal you up, she's a great medical ninja now," the blonde said proudly. Sasuke stared at his feet. He had hurt the pink-haired kunoichi nearly just as much as he had hurt Naruto. Team 7 was a mess because of him. He thought of Kakashi-sensei as well, and all of the rest of the ninja in their year. _No, I hurt the whole village._

"She won't want to see me," Sasuke whispered. "Nobody will, I betrayed everyone.." Sasuke gasped as Naruto placed his hand under his chin, tilting the raven's head up to meet his eyes. The blonde gazed at him sadly, hurt lingering behind his blue eyes.

"What do you think we've been fighting for this whole time?" Naruto murmured, his voice shaky. "Ever since you left, the entire village has been trying to bring you back. Especially Sakura and I. Even though she's started to doubt you, there is still a tiny shred of hope left in her heart that you'll return. Me, Sakura, Kakashi-sensei.. everyone needs you back. You're a part of our Konoha family, of course everyone will want to see you.. we love you Sasuke." Naruto's voice cracked on the last sentence. Sasuke whimpered quietly, biting his trembling lip as silent tears rolled down his cheeks. He nuzzled the side of his face into Naruto's calloused hand.

"We're such crybabies lately," Naruto chuckled weakly, tears pouring from his eyes as well. "It's pathetic." The two boys continued to walk, never stopping to take a break. They were hungry, thirsty, exhausted, injured.. but their first priority was to get home.

_Home_, Sasuke thought affectionately. They walked all the way through the night, and kept going even after the sun had risen from beneath the horizon. Naruto talked the whole rest of the way there, telling Sasuke all about the village; what had changed, what hadn't changed, and what everyone was like now. Whenever there was a silence between them, it wasn't awkward. They were content just being with each other.

It was now late afternoon, the sun blazing over the boys as the Leaf loomed up ahead of them. They struggled on, dragging their feet; both were completely weak with exhaustion and had lost way too much blood. It was a miracle that they had made it this far. Definitely an act of sheer will power and determination. They stopped just outside the entrance to the village, panting heavily, their breaths coming out shallow. The pair was drenched in sweat and covered in blood and dirt. Sasuke glanced nervously up at the entrance, unsure if he should really be there. Naruto squeezed the hand around his shoulder reassuringly. Sasuke sucked in a sharp breath as they made their way through the entrance and into the village.

It looked just as he remembered it; the tall, colourful buildings, the clear blue sky, the mountains in the distance with the all of the Hokage's faces carved into the rock.. Sasuke smiled, imagining Naruto's face being up there. They stopped walking, nearly collapsing from the pain and exhaustion.

Naruto smiled tenderly at Sasuke, completely overcome with nostalgia and joy. His arm tightened around the Uchiha's waist, as he said the three words he'd been dying and dreaming to say to Sasuke since he had left the village.

"Welcome home, Sasuke."


	4. Reunion

Hey guys, sorry for the long wait on the chapter.. =3= I usually try to add a new chapter every few days, but I got busy with school this week. I apologize at the shortness of this chapter (-.-") I promise the next one will be longer! BELIEVE IT.

Sasuke is Uchiha death-glaring at you, but he'll stop if you click review ;D

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><p><strong>Friends Forever<strong>

The scorching sun beat down on the Hidden Leaf Village from its perch in the clear, baby blue sky; its rays dancing off the shingles of the countless rooftops, causing the bits of minerals and rock to sparkle. A warm, gentle breeze blew lazily through the streets, carrying a variety of different scents and smells, such as ramen and rice cakes. Young children laughed carelessly, playing "ninja" around the village, while jounin stopped for dumplings, chatting excitedly with fellow comrades before departing on their next missions. The academy bell tolled, echoing through the paths curving expertly between the many apartments and houses in the village. It was a day like any other in Konoha. This was home.

The only person not at peace was a beautiful, pink-haired kunoichi, Konoha's cherry blossom, stumbling through the village with a large stack of scrolls cradled in her arms.

Sakura Haruno was broken. Her normally bright sea-green eyes were dull, devoid of their usual light. She couldn't find it in her heart to smile; not when her beloved team-mates were missing, and most likely.. she couldn't even think the word. Forcing the pain down, she tried to focus on the task at hand. Lady Tsunade had asked her to deliver these scrolls to the ninja on watch at the front entrance, in a hopeful attempt to distract her from thoughts of her comrades. The Hokage was worried too, as Naruto was like a younger brother to her, and had sent out all the jounin she could to search for Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha. But they had all returned empty-handed, unable to find a trace of the two boys whatsoever.

"Hey Sakura!"

The girl crashed into something in surprise, nearly dropping everything, and peered around the jumble of scrolls to find a tall, lean boy in a green spandex suit and ninja vest gazing up at her from the pavement. He smiled at her sheepishly, his face flushing pink under the shiny mop of black hair.

"I am so sorry!" Rock Lee cried, jumping up from the ground. "I was on my way to meet Gai-sensei for extra training, but I saw you and-"

"It's fine, Lee," Sakura said kindly, hiding her pain, and smoothly cutting off his rambling apology. She forced a painful smile that came out looking more like a grimace. There was nothing left for her to smile about anymore. "I have to deliver these papers for Lady Tsunade, so I better get going. It was nice seeing you." She continued on her way, feeling slightly guilty for her abruptness, but she couldn't stand to be around others right now.

Lee watched her worriedly as she stumbled away, her light pink tresses bouncing casually against her shoulders. He could tell that something was wrong; her eyes didn't hold that green sparkle, and her expression had seemed drained and gaunt, as if she was mourning a loss of some kind. Lee loved Sakura, but more than anything else, he wanted her to be happy. He wished he could do something to help, but knew that if it concerned Team 7, it was none of his business. Kakashi's squad had always been tightly knit, even more so when Sasuke had left. He nearly ran after her, the desire to make her eyes light up again burning with his youth, as Gai-sensei would say, but he knew that she was strong, and could handle herself. Reluctantly, he tore his eyes away from her retreating figure, and made his way to the training grounds to meet up with his team.

Sakura was almost at the entrance to the village, her legs moving forward heavily. She was thinking of the recent night when her Team 7 photo had cracked; sobbing uncontrollably, she had appeared on Kakashi's doorstep in the rain and confided in him everything. He had gently told her to calm down, but there was a disturbed look in the silver-haired jounin's visible eye. As she padded into his apartment to talk, she saw the reason her sensei looked so distressed. Kakashi's own picture of Team 7 sat on the kitchen table, the glass over Sasuke and Naruto cracked brutally.. just like what had happened to Sakura's.

She remembered running to her sensei, weeping into his green vest as he held her securely in his arms. Kakashi was like a father to her, and the father of Team 7.

_"Sakura.. it's gonna be okay,"_ he had whispered soothingly, but for his voice cracking with the next words he spoke. _"We just.. have to stay strong, alright?"_ They had stayed like that for a while, teacher and student, father and daughter, crying and hugging each other tightly as they faced their worst fear; the possibility of losing the two other members of their family.

The pink-haired kunoichi winced at the memory. She glanced ahead, and could see the Leaf's entrance coming into view. She walked on, trying to clear her head of all its upsetting thoughts. But then she froze.

There were two figures standing by the entrance, two tall, grimy-looking boys. They were covered in blood and dirt, sweat glistening on their skin as they breathed heavily from exhaustion. The boy on the left had bright, blonde hair, and was wearing a torn-up orange jumpsuit. One of his arms was wrapped around the other boy's waist, and the other was gripping the boy's hand, as he supported his arm over his shoulder. The other boy was fair-skinned with jet-black hair that spiked out at the back, and was leaning heavily on the blonde. She glanced at their eyes; aqua blue, and deep black.

_It can't be.. that's.._

The scrolls in her hands clattered loudly to the ground, catching the attention of the blonde boy. Sakura's breath was coming in shallow, uneasy gasps, her knees and hands shaking uncontrollably. Her wide eyes met the blonde's. He smiled painfully at her, then whispered something to the raven at his side. Both boys stared back at her, emotion brimming in their eyes. The raven-haired boy looked at her with uncertainty and guilt, while the blonde gazed at her, tears welling in his eyes as he nodded in answer to her silent question. She squeezed her eyes shut, emmitting a loud, choking sob from her trembling lips. Clutching her heart, she ran at the two boys.

It was as if time had come to a halting stop; Sakura seemed to be running in slow-motion towards the boys staring back at her. _They're.. alive...?_

"N-NARUTO! S-SASU-KEEE!" Sakura cried, tears flying behind her and glinting in the sunlight, as she flung her arms around them both, burying her face in between their shoulders. They smelled like sweat and blood and dirt, and their clothing was torn and filthy, but Sakura didn't care. Her boys were safe.

Naruto and Sasuke wrapped their free arms around the sobbing kunoichi, making it a three-way embrace. They were trying their best to hold back the emotions welling up inside them, not wanting to cry in front of their female team-mate.

"S-Sakura.." Naruto whispered, his voice quivering with thick emotion. "I t-told you, I would bring S-Sasuke home.. I k-kept m-my.. promise..." Sakura whimpered, pulling her amazing blonde team-mate closer to her, as he buried his face in her hair, tears streaming down his face. _Thank you, Naruto._

"Hey, N-Naruto.. it l-looks like you'll g-get to become Hokage, a-afterall.." They were both balling their eyes out. Naruto and Sakura had suffered so much in the five years since Sasuke left, and just having him there.. home... for good, the feeling was indescribable. Both had been so emotionally unstable, so it was only natural for them to react like this.

Sasuke was home.

Sasuke's heart felt like it was on fire, as he watched painfully as his team-mates wept.. over _him_. He had never felt so much guilt as he did right then in that moment. He could see just how much suffering he had caused his beloved comrades, how he had killed them both. Not just Naruto, but Sakura as well. Sasuke hugged them both tight, releasing his own tears along with them. Even he was an emotional wreck.

"N-Naruto... S-Sakura.. I'm sorry.." he whispered shakily, as a shuddering sob wracked through his body, causing him to clutch his team-mates closer for support. They all stood there crying, together, as a team.. just like they should be.

Team 7 was finally whole once more.

* * *

><p>"Sakura hasn't come back yet.. I'm a little worried. Could you please go down to the front entrance to see if she's still there?" Lady Tsunade asked the silver-haired jounin anxiously.<p>

"But this chapter was getting so good.." Kakashi complained as he glanced longingly down at the copy of Make-out Paradise in his hand. The 5th Hokage glared at him, slamming her fist down on the table. Kakashi's head snapped up in surprise.

"That's an order!" Kakashi sighed lazily, and vanished in a puff of smoke. He jumped from rooftop to rooftop, muttering to himself about the Hokage's temper. As he hopped down a few feet away from the entrance, and was about to call for Sakura, three figures huddled together caused him to freeze.

"S-Sakura..." the shocked jounin called out weakly. All three heads glanced up at the sound of his voice, their tear-streaked faces staring back at him.

"Kakashi-sensei.." Sakura choked out in reply. "They're alive..." Kakashi slowly sank to his knees, as he took a good look at the other two figures. Naruto. And Sasuke. In all of his years of being a ninja, he had never shed a single tear... until that very moment. Their sensei bowed his head and wept. Sakura detached herself from the boys and walked over to him, Naruto and Sasuke limping behind her. She reached down her hand, Kakashi gripping it tightly as she pulled him up. For a moment, they all just looked at each other. Though he rarely showed his emotions, Kakashi-sensei had been the most worried. He was the father figure in their squad, and had blamed himself for everything that had happened to his team. His visible eye closed in a grateful smile, tears falling from his face.

_My kids... are safe._

They all grabbed onto each other in one giant group hug. Right now, nothing else was important. Not even the wounds marring Naruto and Sasuke's chests, not even the fact that Sasuke had hurt them all...

Their family was together again, and that's all that mattered.


	5. Staying Together

Another chapter, and it's longer than the others! :D GET READY FOR LOTS OF YAOI, SHOUNEN AI AND NARUSASU ACTION.. COMING SOON. o.O

Review and I'll buy you a unicorn ;)

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><p><strong>Friends Forever<strong>

Team 7 finally separated after a long, tender moment, each one realizing that they were a family once more, and would never split up ever again. The squad meant something special to all of them; it was a place they could all come to for comfort, especially Naruto and Sasuke, who lived alone. They needed each other. The two boys were still supporting each other's weight, panting heavily as the throbbing pain of their chests returned and magnified. Snapping out of the shock that Naruto and Sasuke were here, home, Sakura stared in horror at their wounds.

"What happened!" she cried in a panicky voice, shuddering at the gaping hole in Sasuke's chest, and the deep gouge over Naruto's heart. _How were they even still alive?_

"That's not important right now, Sakura," Kakashi stated calmly, giving her a serious expression. He turned to the extremely injured boys. "You two need medical attention." Sasuke's vision was starting to blur, his head spinning, causing his body to sway violently and then lean heavily into Naruto. The blonde peered at his rival in concern, his own body shaking weakly as he tried to support all of the Uchiha's weight as well as his own.

"Sasuke.." Naruto began softly, his voice ringing with worry. But Sasuke cut him off.

"I'm fine..." he muttered through gritted teeth, unconvincingly. Naruto snorted, unamused.

"'Fine'? Yeah right, you're practically on top of me!"

"Well, I'm not the only one who looks like they're on their death bed," Sasuke shot back. Naruto turned to Sakura, who looked like she was about to have a meltdown. He smiled reassuringly at her.

"Hey, Sakura? Do you think you could fix us up?" The pink-haired kunoichi grimaced, her eyes releasing a few tears as she shook her head, clearly upset.

"I can't..." she whispered. "Those wounds are too severe, you need Lady Tsunade." But it wasn't just the fact that Sakura's skills weren't as advanced and experienced as Tsunade's, it was also the fact that it was her beloved comrades who needed a skilled medical ninja. She didn't want to mess up on something so important; she couldn't afford to. Especially when Naruto and Sasuke looked like they were walking a thin line between life and death.

"Why don't you notify the Hokage, Sakura, and I'll get these boys to the hospital." Kakashi spoke in a soothing tone, Sakura nodding in understanding, then sprinting off. Their master quickly made the hand sign for shadow-clone jutsu, creating a duplicate of himself. Both Kakashi's grabbed one of the nearly unconscious boys, leaping onto the rooftops, and carried them all the way to the hospital.

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><p>The room was dark. Naruto blinked, adjusting his eyes to the surrounding darkness. He found himself staring up into two deeper pools of black, glittering beautifully from a now clean, ivory face. Sasuke's cheeks were slightly flushed, and he looked nervous or embarrassed about something.<p>

"N-Naruto?" he whispered hesitantly. The Uchiha felt his stomach churn uneasily, part of him screaming at his legs to walk away and return back to his own bed now. But he knew he couldn't.

They were in the hospital, and it was well past midnight. The only light in the room was the faint, pale glow of the moon filtering through a nearby window. Naruto recalled what had happened before he passed out. Kakashi-sensei had carried them both all the way to the Konoha hospital, and shortly after, Lady Tsunade had arrived to treat them. The intense look of relief on her face and tears brimming in her eyes as she whispered in his ear _"I'm so glad you're alive... do anything reckless like that again, and I'll put you in a wheelchair myself",_ made him smile. Naruto shuddered as he remembered the pain coursing through his body as she attempted to close up the gouge in hs chest. The Nine-Tailed Fox had also exhausted its chakra, so Naruto's wound hadn't made any progress on its own. He could only imagine how painful it must've been for Sasuke, since he had a full-blown whole through his chest rather than a mere deep gouge. After they had both been treated, Naruto had fought tooth and nail for the nurses to let him and Sasuke share a room. They had been apart for far too long for them to be separated now. Reluctantly, they had moved an extra bed into Naruto's room so that they both could sleep there. And now the Uchiha was waiting patiently for some kind of response, hovering over Naruto's iron hospital bed.

"What is it, teme?" Naruto asked softly. Sasuke shifted uncomfortably.

"Can I.. please..." his voice trailed off, and he gestured to Naruto's bed with his arm. "... sleep with you?" Naruto blushed slightly in shock, wondering why the heck Sasuke was asking such a strange question. But one glance at the raven and Naruto understood; it was his first night back after five years, and he couldn't stand to be alone right now, not even in his own bed, much less in a hospital. Naruto shifted over, leaving space for Sasuke under the thin white sheets. Sasuke gingerly climbed in next to him, facing the blonde.

"Th-thanks," he murmured gratefully, unconsciously snuggling up to his team-mate under the pile of blankets. The room had a slight chill, and the boys were only wearing black pants, their chests almost completely bare but for the wrapping of fresh bandages around their torsos. They cuddled close for warmth, unashamed. Never before in history had two rivals shared a bond quite like the one holding Naruto and Sasuke together. It was unbreakable.

Naruto could tell that something else was bothering Sasuke. His liquid black eyes shimmered in the dark, almost as if he was... _afraid_. But this was Sasuke Uchiha we were talking about, that was impossible. Still, Naruto laid a hand gently on Sasuke's cheek, causing the raven to glance at the blonde in surprise.

"What's wrong, teme?" Naruto whispered in concern. Sasuke sighed, and placed his own hand over Naruto's which rested on his cheek. The look in Sasuke's eyes caused Naruto to flinch. It cut him deep, and made him feel like he was going to lose Sasuke again. Why did he look so hopeless?

"Everything," the Uchiha whispered desperately. "Don't you get it Naruto? I'm a traitor, an enemy in the eyes of the village. I'm just... I don't know what's going to happen." Sasuke moved closer to Naruto, resting his forehead against the other boy's. "What if they separate us?"

A tiny hint of fear slipped through Sasuke's soft, helpless voice, echoing loudly in Naruto's ears. Naruto nuzzled him gently with his head, his thumb caressing Sasuke's cheek.

"They won't... I'll never let them," Naruto murmured firmly, trying to reassure his team-mate. "Everything will be alright." Sasuke laughed softly, a tear escaping his dark, fathomless eyes.

"No it won't, you dobe." They snuggled into each other, Sasuke's hands ending up tangled in his rival's soft blonde hair, while Naruto's hands lingered around Sasuke's bare waist. Their noses were touching now. Automatically, Sasuke started to lean in, and Naruto followed suit. Slowly they began to shut their eyes, about to become lost in each other's taste...

But just before their eager lips could meet, the boys flinched away as if they just realized what they had been about to do. They both blushed, wondering what in the world was wrong with them.

"S-sorry..." Sasuke mumbled in embarrassment.

"Sasuke, is it... okay for us to be like this? Is it... normal, for best friends to be this close?" Naruto asked, trying to figure out the feelings stirring within himself, which were coincidentally, stirring within Sasuke as well.

"I... don't know," Sasuke answered honestly, pressing his forehead to Naruto's again. "Our relationship.. our friendship.. it's always been different, Usuratonkachi..." Naruto intertwined their hands. It felt natural for them to be close like this, even when they had kissed before, it all had felt _right_.

"Maybe it just shows how close we are... and besides, it could just be our emotional states acting up.." The blonde replied drowsily. Sasuke yawned, feeling warm and content snuggled under the blankets with Naruto.

"Yeah.. maybe it'll pass..."

But as the two boys drifted off into a peaceful, dreamless sleep, the last thought that entered both of their minds was the same.

_I hope it doesn't, I want to stay like this... stay together... always..._

* * *

><p>Kakashi watched the two boys sleeping comfortably in each other's arms. It was a beautiful picture really, a rare moment where Sasuke didn't seem so cold, or unhappy. In fact, he looked quite innocent and peaceful snuggled under the blankets in the small, hospital bed with Naruto. Right now, with his pale hands twisted in Naruto's hair, and his forehead pressed against the blonde's, he just looked so... <em>vulnerable<em>. Their sensei smiled, emotion welling in his eyes. He was so grateful to have Sasuke back, and even more grateful that both he and Naruto had returned to the village alive. He felt a sincere kind of swelling within his heart, watching his kids sleeping together like that. Kakashi sensed a new kind of relationship forming between Naruto and Sasuke, or more accurately, an even stronger relationship and bond then before. He had always known that they needed each other, especially now more than ever.

The silver-haired ninja hovered over the bed, deciding that he should probably wake them up now. There were many people who wanted to visit the two boys, and he doubted that they would enjoy being walked in on in that kind of position. Kakashi leaned his head over the teenagers, not wanting to disturb the warm atmosphere or the boys who looked so happy to finally be reunited, but what choice did he have.

"Hey, Sasuke. Naruto," he whispered in their ears. Sasuke's eyes opened to the sound of a voice. He blushed, noticing how he and Naruto had been sleeping, and then blushed an even deeper shade of red when he spotted Kakashi watching him, a sneaky smile on his masked face.

"Kakashi-! What're you-!" Sasuke spluttered with embarrassment, jumping out of the bed. Naruto stirred, slowly opening his sleepy blue eyes.

"Wha? I was so warm..." Naruto mumbled groggily, causing the Uchiha's face to burn even more. Kakashi watched the boys in amusement, chuckling lightly at their responses to the situation.

"Well, this _is_ a public hospital," he stated in answer to Sasuke's mortified outburst. "You both have tons of friends that would like to visit you, so I thought I'd wake you up now so that they didn't walk in at an.. ahh, inconvenient time." Sasuke was staring at him with concern, ignoring his sensei's sexual implications, a silent question burning in his dark eyes.

"And no, Sasuke. The Hokage will meet with you after you and Naruto recover." The raven released a tense sigh. Naruto peered at both of them, worry tinting his normally bright blue eyes. He truthfully had no idea just what would happen to Sasuke. He was also worried about the visitors... how would Sasuke feel seeing everyone again?

"Who's coming here and when?" Naruto asked suddenly. Sasuke nodded, looking agitated.

"Pretty much everyone that you know," Kakashi replied cheerily. He ruffled Sasuke's hair, making a childish pout appear on the Uchiha's face. "Don't worry Sasuke, Naruto will be here too. I'll go tell them that you're both awake, you have no idea what I went through holding them off in the lobby..." With that, the copy-cat ninja disappeared in a puff of smoke. Naruto placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder and grinned at him reassuringly. Sasuke plopped down on the bed, feeling nervous all of a sudden.

"Don't worry, Sasuke. I'll be right here beside you, I promise," Naruto murmured soothingly. Sasuke took a deep breath, squeezed Naruto's hand gratefully, then returned to his own bed. He wasn't looking forward to this one bit. Just then, Sakura's head popped in from the door.

"Morning," she greeted them sweetly. She pulled up a chair in between their beds, brushing her light pink bangs to the sides of her face. "How are you feeling?" They both answered modestly saying that they were fine. Their pink-haired team-mate smiled. _I'm so glad..._

"Hey Sakura, Kakashi-sensei said there were more people coming up," Naruto began hesitantly. Sakura nodded in irritation.

"Yep, pretty much everyone." Sasuke sighed again, and Naruto glanced over at him in concern. Sakura noticed the tension in the air, and took both of their hands in her own, squeezing lightly. "I'm sorry. Just bare with it, it'll be over quickly." The door swung open, and Team 7 gasped in unison. Sakura's hands flew to her mouth in disbelief.

"I didn't know they were sending everyone all at once-!"

Familiar faces poured into the room. Kakashi-sensei was back, looking violated and disgruntled, standing by an anxious-looking Iruka. Behind them was all of their friends from their year; even Gai-sensei's squad had shown up. Sasuke gulped, feeling highly self-conscious. He was overwhelmed.

"Hey, Forehead was right.. Sasuke's back..." Ino said in awe.

"Naruto, Sasuke! Long time no see!" Kiba grinned hugely as Akamaru barked in emphasis.

"N-Naruto..." Hinata whispered shyly.

"I always knew they'd return together," Tenten said cheerily, earning a slight blush from Sasuke.

"Hey, Naruto! We thought you died, buddy!" Chouji exclaimed. He offered him a barbeque-flavoured chip.

"Looks like Team 7 is finally back to normal," commented Neji emotionlessly.

"Good to see you, Sasuke," Shino said quietly.

"Ahhh... the power of youth!" Gai wiped his tear-streaked face, sniffing with emotion. Kakashi rolled his eyes.

"Naruto, thank you for returning Sasuke to the village. I am glad that you are both okay," Lee said gratefully, bowing low to both of the boys. "Sasuke, it is nice to see you again."

"Man, you guys are such a drag," Shikamaru drawled, flashing Naruto a lazy smile. He was holding hands with a tall, blonde girl. Was that Temari?

The ninja stayed for a long time, telling Sasuke about interesting things that had happened in the village and funny experiences from their latest missions. They were also curious about what had happened when Naruto left, wondering what made the boys return to the village in such terrible condition, and what had led Sasuke to return in the first place. They kept the recount short, sweet, and simple; leaving out certain personal details that they didn't wish to share with the others. Both boys were relieved when the nurses stepped in to shew everybody out, claiming that they needed to rest. It wasn't a lie.

Only Iruka and Kakashi were still there; Sakura had promised to meet Lee for dinner later so she had left to get ready. Iruka walked up to Naruto's bed and hugged the blonde tightly. Iruka had watched over Naruto all through his days in the academy, and over the years, he had begun to see Naruto as his own son. He loved the blonde boy even more than Kakashi did, and fussed over him constantly. It was even harder on Iruka now that Naruto had grown up and was in Squad 7. When he had heard that Naruto had left the village, he had searched relentlessly. No words could express how grateful Iruka was to have Naruto returned safely home, and with his best friend, too. _Thank goodness you're okay._

"Naruto, promise that if you ever do anything as reckless and stupid as this ever again, you'll warn me first," he said seriously. "I was so worried..." Naruto let go, and flashed his signature grin at his old sensei.

"Only if you treat me to Ichiraku's after I get outta the hospital." Iruka chuckled light-heartedly, ruffling Naruto's blonde hair.

"Deal." He walked over to Sasuke's bed and ruffled his hair, too, surprising Kakashi-sensei and Naruto who watched in awe. Sasuke stared up at him uncertainly, and Iruka smiled kindly back. "I'm glad you're home, Sasuke." The raven gave a shy smile in response.

"Well, I'd better get back to the academy. I'll tell Konohomaru you say hi." Iruka sprinted out the door, as Naruto yelled out a goodbye. Kakashi grinned mysteriously at the two boys.

"Don't be too naughty while we're gone," he warned mockingly. They growled in embarrassment, cheeks burning as Naruto muttered "Sensei.." But the silver-haired jounin disappeared laughing in a puff of smoke, before Naruto could throw anything at him.

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><p>A week passed before Naruto and Sasuke were freed from the hospital. The days had been long and eventless, sitting bored out of their minds in their ucomfortable hospital beds all day long. Every night they had slept together, but they still hadn't talked about everything yet. They needed time to settle down and heal, before they risked re-opening any emotional wounds from their time apart.<p>

Right now, the boys of Team 7 were walking nervously with Kakashi through the village to see the Hokage. It was finally time to decide Sasuke's fate. They stopped outside the door, taking a deep breath. Naruto was worried; he had no idea what Tsunade had in store for Sasuke, and wasn't sure if he could accept it if Sasuke was deemed an enemy. No, he wouldn't accept it. He squeezed Sasuke's hand tightly, causing the Uchiha to glance up. Their eyes met. _Everything will be okay..._

"Sorry, Naruto. But you're not allowed in. Sakura's down by the bridge if you guys want to wait together," Kakashi said apologetically. He looked a little nervous, too. Naruto nodded, unable to respond as his throat tightened with tension. This was it.

Sasuke hesitated as Kakashi walked in first, his hand intertwined with Naruto's. He stared at the blonde boy, hoping for a miracle. They couldn't be separated again; not ever.

"You can stay at my house until things get sorted out," Naruto said quietly, out of the blue. They were going to stay together no matter what. They needed each other in order to live, and they wouldn't let anyone rip them apart. They would make it through this. "Good luck, teme."

Sasuke nodded wearily, and was about to turn around before he found himself hugging the blonde tightly. He draped his arms around Naruto's neck, as the other boy's arms wrapped around his slender waist. Sasuke was afraid, but being held securely in Naruto's arms like that gave him the little ounce of strength he needed to deal with what was coming.

"Thanks, Usuratonkachi..." he murmured sincerely.

They disconnected reluctantly, gazing at each other with fierce intensity before Sasuke disappeared through the door to the Hokage's room.


	6. Precious Memories

**RANT WARNING:** I apologize for the long wait on this chapter, I was supposed to have it out way sooner, I'm sorry.. TT/_\TT (Itachi crying face) Many things happened that got in the way *grumbles*, I had to have my first mature story out by 11.11.11 (it's also my first attempt at adding boysmut;) bcuz it was for Remembrance Day so I was working like a beast on that, I also had a huge case of writer's block 'cuz I wasn't sure where to take this story at this point (but I know now don't worry), and then when I actually finally started writing this (like a week later..) I had most of the chapter done and it was SUPER AWESOMETASTIC, but then my computer decided to be baka and didn't save any of it. ;_; Sad story of my life. So I hope it turned out okay since I had to like rewrite it (so cheesed at that), non too shabby. I also should mention that this chapter in particular and some details throughout the story were inspired by this amazing doujinshi by emi10rankai, Taiyou no Sumika 3. It's beautiful, go read it and cry! :'D

Kso, lately I've been obsessed with Fullmetal Alchemist. :O Honestly if you haven't checked it out.. DO IT NOW! I'm addicted to the manga and the anime, ohmygosh and Ed is voiced by Vic Mignogna.. hearts :D (he also does Zero in Vampire Knight!) But yeah, Edward Elric is my new fave anime character of all-time. He actually replaced Gaara! *ducks for cover as angry Naruto fans throw ramen at me*

**Anyhoo, I'll shut up now... BUT ONLY IF YOU REVIEW... AND WATCH FULLMETAL! o.O**

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><p><strong>Friends Forever<strong>

"Naruto..." Sakura began shakily as the blonde walked unstably towards her. He leaned against the bridge by her side without saying a word. His eyes were downcast, and he looked extremely worried; no doubt about Sasuke. She tentatively placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder, causing him to glance up at her. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment, sharing their concerns for their comrade. "Everything will be alright, it has to be.." There was no way anything could go wrong, especially after everything Team 7 had been through. They had to believe that.

A light breeze swept through the little red bridge that they were waiting on, a few stray leaves swirling around them. It was Team 7's bridge. It held so many memories; from back then when they had first become genin, right up until present where they were all jounin now. They had waited for Kakashi so many times here, their sensei showing up late every single time, regardless of it being for training or an important mission. If it had been any other day, Naruto and Sakura would've smiled.

"I know, Sakura," Naruto replied softly, squeezing the pink-haired kunoichi's hand. "We just have to stay strong, like we always have." They hugged each other close finding comfort in each other's arms, refusing to shed any tears as they waited for Sasuke and Kakashi to return.

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><p>Sasuke stood silently before the Hokage, breathing slowly in order to calm himself down. He gulped nervously as Lady Tsunade glared at him. She leaned forward on her desk, resting her chin upon her clasped hands. Kakashi stood by the door, fidgeting nervously. Tsunade could sense the anxiety in the raven-haired teen standing before her, though he hid it well. The small room was thick with tension as they waited for her to speak.<p>

"Sasuke Uchiha," Tsunade said sharply. Sasuke held his breath, quickly wiping his face clean of emotion, leaving it blank. She rubbed her temples to soothe the stress and then sighed in frustration. "We have a lot to discuss." Out of the corner of Sasuke's eye, he saw Kakashi look down ashamedly. _Suspicious... why does it feel like I'm missing something here?_

"Five years ago, you left the village and joined Orochimaru in order to gain power for your revenge, correct?" Sasuke could feel the guilt pressing down on him heavily, making him feel uneasy. He nodded.

"Y-Yes ma'am," Sasuke whispered weakly.

"After three years with Orochimaru, you had become even more powerful than the snake himself, and killed him. Well, I guess you did the village a favour in doing that," she muttered half-heartedly. "You later joined the Akatsuki for a short period of time, but then left them, too. You went solo, and in the process, killed Itachi." Sasuke winced. Tsunade raised a slim, pale blonde eyebrow in confusion. "What? Wasn't that your goal from the beginning?"

"I... was wrong," Sasuke murmured shakily, hanging his head. "I should've just thrown away my own justice and helped Itachi, but I let my hatred for what he did consume me, even though I knew the truth." Lady Tsunade stood up abruptly and slammed her fist down harshly on the table, causing the Uchiha to glance up slightly in surprise. Her fierce brown eyes bored deep into Sasuke's.

"So you're saying that what Itachi did was _right_?" she asked furiously. "Murder is murder; he may have, ultimately, been working towards world peace, but he slaughtered an entire clan to reach his goal. And what good did that do? He's dead." Sasuke ground his teeth together at the bitter words. "Don't act anymore foolish than you already are, ninjas don't regret." Sasuke nodded limply.

"Yes, ma'am."

"No matter what his true motives were, Itachi Uchiha was still a murderer. And if you had helped your older brother, you would be executed for sure, and you and I wouldn't be having this little chat right now," The Hokage reprimanded.

"I wouldn't have minded," Sasuke whispered calmly, self-loathing clear in his voice. "I betrayed this village, therefore I deserve the death penalty. I've already lost everything, so it doesn't matter. Do it." The room went dead silent. Lady Tsunade walked slowly around her desk to stand directly in front of Sasuke. Just as he was about to look up at her questioningly, she lifted a hand and slapped him hard across the face. He yelped in pain, stumbling backwards a bit, stunned. Sasuke placed a hand tentatively on his throbbing red cheek. Tsunade bristled.

"HOW DARE YOU! 'IT DOESN'T MATTER'?" she yelled angrily. She grabbed Sasuke by the front of his shirt, yanking him forwards. "Do you have any idea how much suffering you caused this village? How much pain you put everybody through?" Sasuke looked down, hurt flashing briefly across his onyx eyes, as he stared at the floor in defeat. The pathetic, hopeless expression only angered the Hokage further. She jerked his chin up with two fingers, so that they were at eye level.

"Naruto and Sakura!" Tsunade added sharply. Sasuke's eyes widened slightly at the mention of his comrades. "They did everything they could to save you and bring you home! You're prepared to just throw away your life after everything that they've sacrificed?" Behind them, Kakashi gripped his copy of Make-Out Paradise tighter. "They were even willing to help you with your revenge regardless of their morals, because all they wanted was for you, their _friend_, to return home."

"That's exactly why I had to leave," Sasuke replied quietly in defense, a single tear tracing a path down his pale cheek. "They would've tried to help me, putting their lives on the line to do so and carrying the weight of a burden that was only mine to bare. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if they died trying to help me get my revenge. There wouldn't be anything more foolish than that." Tsunade's hard brown eyes softened slightly as a few more tears slid down Sasuke's face. She wiped away the tears with her thumb in an almost motherly way.

"Ninjas don't cry; show a little more control over your emotions," she murmured gently before walking back over to her desk. Sasuke rubbed at his face, then waited patiently for the 5th Hokage to continue. He wondered what exactly was going to happen to him.

"M'lady.." Kakashi began hesitantly. Sasuke glanced over his shoulder to see a pleading look in his sensei's visible eye. _What's going on? They're hiding something..._

"Sorry, Kakashi," Tsunade replied sincerely, a small hint of regret in her voice as she cut him off smoothly. She turned her attention back to a very confused Sasuke. "One more thing, Sasuke. Why didn't you return to the village after killing your brother?" Sasuke stared at her, ashamed.

"I... was afraid," Sasuke replied emotionally. "I didn't think that I'd even be accepted back..."

"You idiot," Tsunade shook her head, smiling tenderly at Sasuke. "Of course you would've been accepted back. It's Naruto we're talking about here, and you know him, he never gives up. You're here now, aren't you?" Sasuke nodded gratefully, a small, loving smile forming on his lips at her words. Naruto would never stop fighting for him, that hopeless Usuratonkachi...

"Yeah..." Sasuke murmured softly. Tsunade's expression quickly became serious again, getting back to business. Behind them, Kakashi was trying very hard to stay put. He couldn't disobey the Hokage, no matter how he felt about her choices. _But why did it have to be me?_ he thought desperately. What Tsunade had summoned him here to do, it just wasn't right. _Hasn't my team suffered enough?_ Lady Tsunade cleared her throat.

"Sasuke, you are a dangerous rogue ninja and a traitor to the Hidden Leaf Village," she began clearly and matter-o-factly. "Not only that, but you hurt this family- my Konoha family- especially your squad and mainly Naruto. For that, I will _never_ forgive you." Her eyes flashed dangerously for a second, and Sasuke felt an ache within his heart when she mentioned Naruto again.

"I'm glad," Sasuke said weakly. "I don't deserve it." Kakashi winced, now standing right beside Sasuke. _Do I really have to do this..?_ Tsunade continued gravely as if Sasuke hadn't spoken.

"Unfortunately, there are also consequences for what you have done." The 5th's voice quieted softly, and she looked almost sad. "We can't trust you. In fact, the only person who does and forgives you completely is Naruto. Believe me, I want things to go back to the way they were before you left, but it's not that easy. I may be the Hokage, but there's only so much I can do..."

"Please, Lady Tsunade, there has to be another way..." Kakashi pleaded seriously, interrupting her. Tsunade shook her head, refusing to meet the silver-haired jounin's eyes. It's not like they had a choice. Sasuke peered back and forth between the two. _Are they executing me afterall..?_

"Sasuke, I don't want to execute you. I don't want to imprison you for the rest of your life either, not after Naruto just got you back. There was only one way we could ensure the safety of this village, and let you live freely here again and stay with your team-mates.." She stared at him mournfully. _What? What is it?_ Kakashi suddenly jumped in front of Sasuke, lifting up his Leaf headband to reveal the sharingan underneath. There were tears of regret in his eyes. _I don't want to do this..._

"I have to erase your memories." Sasuke gasped in shock, but it was too late to move away. Kakashi's mangekyo sharingan eye was visible, hypnotizing the raven. Sasuke stared transfixed at the blood-red eye with the black, shuriken-like shape in the middle, unable to move away as his mind slowly went blank.

* * *

><p>"They've been gone a long time," muttered Naruto impatiently. He was pacing back and forth along the bridge, constantly glancing back at the Hokage's building in the village, a worried expression on his face. Sakura watched him anxiously, wondering why the heck they were taking so long with the meeting. She hoped that Sasuke was alright... Just then, she spotted two figures walking towards them from a distance. She easily recognized the mess of silvery hair and the black spikes to be none other than Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke. The relieved kunoichi grabbed Naruto's arm and pointed eagerly to the two figures.<p>

"Naruto! They're back!" Naruto smiled in relief, both his and Sakura's lips quivering from holding back tears of joy. Linking hands, they ran towards them, huge grins etched onto both of their faces.

* * *

><p>Kakashi Hatake spotted the blonde and pinkette sprinting towards them. A searing pain went straight through his heart, and he struggled to keep his cool. His students just looked so happy, and it broke his heart just to imagine their expressions when they discovered what had happened. He placed a hand gently on Sasuke's shoulder and spoke in his ear.<p>

"Those are your team-mates," he whispered hoarsely. They both looked up as Naruto and Sakura finally reached them, panting.

"Hi," Sasuke said shyly, giving them an awkward smile. Naruto and Sakura froze, immediately sensing that something was wrong. Why was Sasuke acting so... un-Sasuke like? Konoha's cherry blossom glanced at Kakashi, a silent question burning in her emerald eyes. She knew about all of the different 'punishments' from training under Tsunade, and she had witnessed people getting their memories erased before although it didn't happen all too often. Kakashi nodded painfully in response. Sakura gasped, tears welling in her eyes as she covered her mouth with her hands in disbelief. _No, they didn't... How could they do this..!_

Naruto was staring at Sasuke with confusion and concern. Something definitely wasn't right, here. Where was the usual 'hey, dobe' and the classic Sasuke Uchiha patented smirk? Sasuke seemed like a total stranger; it wasn't just the hello that bothered Naruto, but also just the way that the Uchiha held himself. He usually had his hands in his pockets or his arms crossed, giving off a cold, arrogant aura. But he was far from intimidating right now. Sasuke had his hands laced together in front nervously, and was smiling awkwardly at him. He looked like a new kid coming to a new school for the first time in another country. It wasn't the Sasuke that Naruto knew, hated, and loved.

"Hey," Naruto replied cautiously. _What the heck is going on? And why is Sakura crying?_

"Sasuke, that's Naruto Uzumaki, and the pink-haired girl is Sakura Haruno," Kakashi said faintly, desperately fighting back his emotions. Sasuke nodded in acknowledgement and smiled again. Sakura let out an anguished sob, and sunk to her knees. Naruto's eyes widened as the horrific realization slowly began to sink in.

"What happened to Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked shakily. Kakashi grimaced, unable to stand the look that was forming on Naruto's face. He mentally prepared himself to tell the blonde, knowing that it would break him, shattering his heart into a million pieces. _I'm so sorry, Naruto._

"His memories... they were erased." Naruto stumbled backwards a bit, overwhelmed and shocked by his sensei's words echoing loudly inside his ears. He couldn't deal with it. His face crumpled in pain and disbelief, as he shook his head in denial. _No, he's lying! He has to be lying!_ Sasuke gave him an apologetic look, causing Naruto to flinch. _No, that's not Sasuke! IT'S NOT SASUKE!_

Tears rolled down Naruto's tan cheeks, as he spun around on his heels and ran, Sakura's heart-wrenching sobs disappearing behind him in the distance.


	7. Falling Apart

Here's chappie 7, sorry for it being short again... I'll try harder to make it longer for chappie 8, I promise! TT^TT Quick thanks to all my reviewers, love you guys dearly. :'D Feels like I owe a lot of people unicorns though... o.O Anyway, enjoy this. I think this story's going to be longer than intended.. :O

I also apologize for all the sadness thus far!

Again, review for a unicorn.

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><p><strong>Friends Forever<strong>

"Naruto..." Sakura choked out in a half-scream as the blonde slowly faded from her sight. Kakashi bit his trembling lip hard, trying not to let his own emotions get the better of him as well. Sasuke watched Naruto go, his eyes filled with hurt. He wasn't sure what he had done wrong, he had only said hello after all. It wasn't his fault that he had no memories... was it?

"I'm sorry," Sasuke whispered, not even sure why he was apologizing. Maybe it _was_ his fault. Were his memories erased because of something terrible he had done? Nonetheless, he could see very clearly that him having no memories had hurt this team a lot. What was it about 'Sasuke Uchiha', the name Kakashi had addressed him as, that made these people, his supposed comrades, so upset? _They must have shared a deep bond with the old me_, he thought, analyzing Naruto and Sakura's reactions. _Especially the blonde one.._ For some reason, Sasuke's heart began to throb. There was something in that boy's eyes, utter hopelessness and loss, fear and pain, that cut Sasuke deep. _We must have been close, for him to look like that._ Sasuke knew right then in that moment, that he didn't want to hurt these people. He needed to regain his memories in order to make things right.

"Sakura, you should go after Naruto," Kakashi murmured softly. He offered his hand, which she took gratefully, and pulled herself up. She wiped her eyes, refusing to look at Sasuke, and ran to find her extremely distressed team-mate. The silver-haired jounin placed a hand gently on Sasuke's shoulder, more as a reassurance for himself then for the raven.

"Sorry about that, Sasuke," he said in a low voice. "They just need time, to let it all sink in." Sasuke looked up, a sad expression forming on his face. It was so un-Sasuke like that Kakashi nearly wept. But he was an elite ninja, and ninjas didn't cry.

"We were close, weren't we?" Sasuke asked softly, referring to their whole squad. Kakashi nodded weakly.

"Yes, we're like a family. I'm the father of this family, Sakura's the older sister, and then there's you and Naruto," Kakashi replied, breathing in sharply. "You two are even closer than brothers, and that's why it's so hard for Naruto to accept what's happened to you." Sasuke nodded, expecting it to be something as such.

"So, you can't tell me anything else? Other than the fact that my name is Sasuke Uchiha, I'm a ninja, a member of Team 7, and I'm the last of my clan?" Kakashi shook his head, looking worn.

"No, I'm sorry." Sasuke sighed, expecting that answer, too. He looked up at his supposed sensei, determination burning in his fathomless black eyes.

"One more question." Sasuke knew what he had to do, and nearly pleaded when he asked his final question. Kakashi stared at Sasuke in surprise when the dead-serious words escaped Sasuke's lips.

"Is there any way I can get my memories back?"

* * *

><p><em>Dangit, DANGIT!<em>

Naruto sprinted blindly through the village, pushing his way through random villagers to the Hokage's building. It just couldn't be true, how could Grandma Tsunade do that to them? Sasuke couldn't lose his memory, not after everything they had been through together. What would Naruto believe in then? He burst through to Lady Tsunade's office to find her sitting alone at her desk, rubbing her temples. She looked up, unsurprised, to see Naruto panting in her doorway. She expected what came next.

"Grandma Tsunade-" Naruto began shakily, rage burning his throat, barely concealing the fear beneath it. "Tell me that Kakashi-sensei is lying. Tell me you didn't let Sasuke's memories get erased. Tell me, DANGIT!" Tsunade simply stared at him with sad eyes. Naruto's fists shook angrily, and tears rolled continuously down his strained face.

"Why won't you say anything? Answer me! Tell me it isn't true! Tell me-" Naruto gasped. Tsunade had gotten up from her seat, and had wrapped her arms tenderly around Naruto. He dropped his fists, and let out a choked sob. He cried in her arms, as she gently stroked his unruly blonde locks. Naruto shivered.

"Please- just tell me why... why did this have to happen? Why, after we just got him back, and we were finally starting to pick up the pieces and put our lives back together? Now, we have to start all over again..." He hiccuped, unable to finish. Lady Tsunade hugged him tighter.

"I'm sorry, Naruto, it... it was the best I could do," she whispered, her face crumpling with surpressed pain. Tsunade hated what she had done, especially seeing Naruto like this, so... broken. He was like her little brother, and it tore her apart to have caused him to be in so much pain. _Would it have been better if I had given Sasuke the death penalty?_ Naruto froze, still shaking uncontrollably.

"The best.. you could do?" Naruto repeated, laughing a bit psychotically. He shoved Lady Tsunade away, and glared at her furiously, tears still pouring from his wide eyes. Tsunade flinched as they flashed a dangerous shade of red. "He isn't even Sasuke anymore! We worked so hard to bring him back, but now he's gone forever, isn't he?" Naruto shouted bitterly. His voice lowered an octave as it all sank in. "I finally brought him home, but... I still lost him... again..." The Lady Hokage reached out to him, only to have him back away a step.

"Naruto-"

"I don't want to be Hokage anymore," he murmured in defeat, before running out the door again with tears flying behind him. Naruto left without a backward glance, not noticing Tsunade burst into tears and sink down to her knees in anguish for the pain she had caused her little brother.

* * *

><p>"Have you seen Naruto?" Sakura asked Ino frantically. Ino looked over the pinkette in concern. Her hair was a tangled pink mess, tears stained her puffy, pale cheeks, and there was no light in her usually bright green eyes. She shook her head.<p>

"No, I haven't," she replied apologetically. Sakura winced, putting her face in her hands. Ino placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "Sakura, what happened?" They may be rivals in love, but Ino knew when insults weren't appropriate and she could easily see that her pink-haired friend was going through a tough time. Excluding Sasuke for a moment, they were still friends, and friends were always there for each other. She rubbed Sakura's back when there was no answer. "Come on, let's talk about it." The two girls stepped inside the Yamanaka's flower shop. Ino led them to the back, where they sat down at a table. Sakura wiped her eyes as Ino waited patiently for her to speak.

"I-I've been looking for Naruto for nearly an hour," she began, her lower lip quivering as she spoke. "But I just can't find him. H-He ran off, when he found out..." She clenched her teeth, breathing in sharply. Ino watched worriedly. She hated seeing Sakura like this. The pinkette was so strong, and it took a lot to break her, so whatever happened must've been pretty awful. Sakura breathed in deeply, and continued.

"Sasuke, he.. his memories were erased," she whispered painfully. Ino gasped._ No, how could the Hokage do that!_ She had seen all of the hardships Team 7 had gone through in order to bring Sasuke back, and she just couldn't believe that Lady Tsunade could do such a thing. _They've been through so much..._

"That's so cruel..." Ino murmured, for once at a loss for words.

"Naruto took it hard, even worse than me. He probably thinks it's his own fault too, especially since he just brought Sasuke back..." Sakura burst into tears. Ino moved to sit beside her, and let her cry it out. She rubbed her friend's back soothingly. Konoha's cherry blossom let out a strangled sob.

"You know what the worst part is?" she asked hoarsely. Ino watched her in concern, wishing she could do something to help. But there was nothing.

"Sakura..."

"I think that this might be best... for all of us. It's sick, isn't it?" Sakura laughed without humour. "I hate what's happened to Sasuke, and I hate seeing Naruto so torn up.. But we couldn't trust Sasuke if he stayed in the village like that, after everything that's happened. I-I just think that maybe Lady Tsunade and Kakashi-sensei were right, but still... it hurts so much, to see Sasuke- and Naruto- like that... I mean, how can we just let go of the past after everything we've been through? How can we just leave everything behind!" She wept into Ino's shoulder, as Ino gently stroked her short pink locks. Ino for once, had no idea what to do. _What a terrible and tragic thing for someone to go through..._ she thought sadly to herself, as she watched her friend sob. All she could do was try to comfort Sakura, and hope for the best.

"It's okay, Sakura.." she whispered in a strained voice, even though she knew that everything was not.

* * *

><p>Naruto leaned over the edge of the dock, and splashed the cool, fresh water over his face. He sat back on the old, worn wood with his legs moving rhythmically back and forth in the water. His Leaf headband lay beside him, his hair dripping water from the ends in his face. The black and orange jacket he wore was zipped down to his collarbone, revealing the treasured necklace he had won from Tsunade five years ago. His aqua blue eyes shimmered like the waves, as the sun began to set, casting a golden orange glow in the sky.<p>

_Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke..._ that was all he could think about. What was he going to do about this? What _could_ he do about this? Naruto turned around slowly as the dock creaked, announcing that someone else was there. His eyes widened in surprise as Sasuke walked over and hesitantly sat beside him. They stared at each other for a moment, both feeling as if something was broken, missing... it was sad. Naruto turned to stare out into the water. He gave a sorrow-filled smile.

"This was the place that we first met," Naruto murmured softly, in an almost sacred way. The waves lapped gently against the dock creating a soothing atmosphere for the two boys. Sasuke closed his eyes in a grateful smile at the blonde, glad to have learned something new about their relationship. The smile caused Naruto's heart to ache, and he averted his eyes. "You don't remember, do you?"

"No, I don't, I'm sorry.." he whispered apologetically. "I-I wish I did..." Naruto glanced at the raven. They were sitting close together on the edge of the dock, almost touching. He should've felt comfortable, content, at ease... but this person, he wasn't Sasuke. No, that _was_ Sasuke. _You're going to have to accept it sooner or later,_ a small voice in the back of his mind whispered.

"Don't apologize, it's not your fault," Naruto said quietly, full of self-loathing. "It's mine, I should've been there to stop them, to protect you..." Sasuke watched his comrade sadly, feeling awful about the whole situation and utterly confused. He wished he could get his memories back somehow and stop causing this boy so much pain, but Kakashi had told him that it was irreversible. Naruto sighed in depression and loss. _I guess I'll just have to let go of the old Sasuke and learn to love the new one.._

"Naruto Uzumaki.." Sasuke began tentatively. That did it. Naruto's heart shattered into a million pieces, and he grabbed the surprised Uchiha and hugged him tight. The original Sasuke's voice echoed painfully inside his head.

_"What, dobe?" Sasuke asked in annoyance._

_"Shut up, baka!" The Uchiha yelled, whacking the blonde on the head._

_"Stupid Usuratonkachi.." Sasuke muttered, in an almost affectionate way._

_Sasuke smiled contentedly at Naruto. "Thanks, Usuratonkachi..."_

Tears exploded from Naruto's eyes for the millionth time, retracing the path of stained tears from earlier. _I can't let him go, I just can't..!_ Sasuke wrapped his arms around the distressed blonde, again wondering what he had done wrong.

"It's Usuratonkachi," Naruto sobbed into Sasuke's shoulder. "Just call me Usuratonkachi..."


	8. Only Hope

Hey guys, yes, I'm still alive! :'D

I am sooo sorry for the late update, school has gotten super busy and stressful, and when I actually do find time to write I've been using it to work on my Christmas NaruSasu / SasuNaru stories. Please forgive me, I tried to make this chappie longer (longest one yet!) and add a bit more of the yaoi and shounen ai tingz!

Note: Slight KakaIru.

Review and I will love you forever ;)

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><p><strong>Friends Forever<strong>

The brand-new volume of Make-Out Paradise sat untouched and neglected on the desk in the silver-haired, elite shinobi's bedroom. A Leaf-headband was thrown over the comfy swivel chair, and overdue reports lay scattered around the desk, for the jounin was too lazy to work on them. Cold, stagnant miso soup sat still beside the door, made lovingly for the ninja's dinner, but was forgotten now. The masked shinobi refused to eat and sat comfortably on the windowsill of his bedroom, watching as the sun began to set.

Kakashi Hatake was depressed. Naruto and Sakura's reactions to the new, memory-less Sasuke had been so heart-breaking to watch, that Kakashi had nearly lost his composure yet again. He was hurting, too, over the Hokage's decision, but he could only imagine the pain Naruto was feeling after just getting Sasuke back. They would have to start all over; leaving their memories of the past behind and starting fresh with this new Sasuke. This stranger.

It was as if his family was falling apart all over again.

Why was it always Squad 7 that God decided to spit on? Hadn't they gone through enough already? Naruto and Sakura were only seventeen, yet because of the trauma caused by Sasuke's departure, they had been forced to grow up a little too fast. He could say the same for Sasuke, but on a larger scale. Losing everyone you love as only a mere child was un-imagineable. They deserved happiness; something they had been so close to obtaining in the past several days, but was now far out of their reach yet again, maybe even farther away than the last time, or impossible to reach. Naruto's face when he saw Sasuke... it had looked so broken, hopeless, lost.. Kakashi could tell that he was blaming himself. It killed him inside, to see how the Hokage's choice had completely destroyed his team, his family, possibly for good.

"Kakashi..." Iruka walked into their bedroom and put his arms around the anguished copy-cat ninja. "I heard what happened, I'm so sorry." Kakashi kissed the man tenderly on the forehead and let out a depressed sigh.

"Don't be, it's not your fault."

"How.. How's Naruto?" The tanned chunin asked hesitantly, worry colouring his voice. Kakashi clenched his fist.

"He took it pretty bad, a lot worse than Sakura," Kakashi murmured painfully. "It really isn't fair, how much pain he's been through for the past five years- no, his whole life. When Sasuke returned, I thought that they would both finally be able to find happiness, in each other. But any chance of that has been taken away. Sasuke didn't even remember his best friend's name." Iruka placed a hand gently over Kakashi's, appearing a lot calmer than he felt.

"Naruto is just going to have to accept that the old Sasuke is gone," he said softly. "Over time, I'm sure they'll be able to re-build the bond that they shared before."

"No, that's impossible," Kakashi whispered bitterly. He didn't like being so negative, but it was true. "Sasuke and Naruto's bond became unbreakable because it was built upon the memories they shared and made together. Even though Sasuke left to severe that bond, it really strengthened it. And that's why Naruto won't be able to re-build the relationship he and Sasuke worked so hard to create, because Sasuke can't remember everything they went through together."

"So there's no hope then?" Iruka asked quietly, his heart aching for Naruto. "It's permanent? There's no way to regain Sasuke's memories, they're lost forever?" The silver-haired jounin didn't answer, and silence swept over the pair. After a few minutes, Kakashi glanced down at Iruka.

"No, there is still a way." Iruka's eyebrows shot up at that, his chocolatey brown eyes burning and pressing him to continue. "Sasuke's sharingan. It's very unlikely, but if they are awakened, then there is a slight possibility that his memories will come flooding back to him. It's only possible because he has Itachi's mangekyo sharingan fused with his own, gifted to him when Itachi died. But Sasuke won't know how to awaken them in this memory-less state, so there's only a small chance that his memories could return."

"Why didn't you tell-"

"I couldn't tell Naruto," Kakashi whispered in a strained voice. "Hokage's orders. So he's going to have to learn to at least cope with the new Sasuke, but that also means that he'll probably never find true happiness." Iruka's heart broke into two at those words.

"But.. he can still become Hokage, so..." he trailed off, desperately trying to find a solution to the problem, a scrap of hope for the blonde, anything. Kakashi shook his head.

"I spoke to the Hokage again. Naruto told her that he didn't want to become Hokage anymore..."

The masked shinobi buried his face in Iruka's shoulder, needing to hold onto something for support. A few tears escaped from Iruka's eyes, as he realized the full torture this situation was putting Naruto through. Naruto wasn't one to give up, but now... Iruka sucked in a sharp breath. What Kakashi had just said...those were the hardest words Iruka had ever had to hear.

* * *

><p>"Let's head home, it's getting dark," Naruto told Sasuke quietly. He took Sasuke's hand in his, causing the Uchiha to blush slightly, but he didn't let go. For some reason, it felt right to hold the blonde's hand, natural. Naruto pulled Sasuke along, heading for his apartment. Kakashi had already told Sasuke that he was staying at Naruto's for the time being; the only question left was whether or not Sasuke's stay would be a long one like Naruto had originally presumed. Naruto truly believed that he would never be able to accept this new Sasuke. Normally he was a pretty optimistic guy, but in this case, optimism was impossible. Maybe he would eventually learn to cope with the new Sasuke, but he couldn't let go of the old one. They had been through too much together for that.<p>

They reached Naruto's apartment, and Sasuke stepped hesitantly inside. It was exactly like he had pictured it to be, one big open area; a small kitchen in front, a bathroom to his left, and Naruto's bed to his right. It made sense though, hadn't Kakashi mentioned that Naruto lived alone? Sasuke watched the blonde longingly, wondering how he himself had ended up alone, too. Kakashi hadn't told Sasuke anything about his past, other than the fact that he had no family. Were they dead? Sasuke had no idea, and probably wouldn't feel anything if they were anyway; he wasn't heartless, he just had no recollection of his ties prior to his memory-loss and didn't even know who he was. Apparently, his shared experience in loneliness was what had brought him and Naruto together. Sasuke sighed in exasperation, that still didn't help anything! _I hate this_, Sasuke thought bitterly. _I hate not knowing who I am, and being so clueless! How were my memories lost anyway..._ He watched as Naruto stripped down to his orange boxers and a loose black tank top, blushing slightly. _Or better question... why? I can see how this is negatively affecting everyone, especially this Naruto._ Sasuke closed his eyes, feeling helpless. The only thing he knew was that he hated hurting the blonde. He didn't really know why, but it painfully tugged at his heart to see Naruto with that lost, anguished look in his eyes...

"We should get some sleep, we're training tomorrow," Naruto said quietly, breaking Sasuke's thoughts. He climbed into the bed, resting his hands comfortably behind his head. Sasuke was about to murmur a reply, when he froze. _Wait... am I supposed to sleep with him?_ he thought a little awkwardly. Naruto glanced over at the Uchiha, sensing his slight discomfort. He almost smiled at the blush tinting those ivory cheeks pink, almost. But the pain was slowly beginning to consume him, so it turned into a grimace.

"Sorry Sasuke, but this is the only bed," he murmured apologetically. "If you're uncomfortable with this, than I can sleep on the floor." Sasuke shook his head, jagged pieces of his black bangs falling into his eyes.

"It's fine," he replied, wondering if Naruto had done this before with the real Sasuke. Yeah, he felt like a fake. It wasn't a pleasant feeling. Naruto spoke again, as if reading his mind.

"Sasuke and I, we've slept together a lot. It just felt natural to us, comfortable even..." The blonde trailed off sadly, lost in thoughts of his rival. Sasuke turned around, feeling a little out of place. _He's speaking as if I'm a stranger... but I am Sasuke. I'm still here_, he thought desperately. The raven quickly stripped off his clothes, pulling on a pair of loose black sweats that Naruto had laid out for him. Gingerly he climbed into bed next to the blonde, snuggling under the warm sheets. They gazed at each other, liquid black into cerulean blue. Naruto turned away abruptly, something flashing briefly across his eyes before it was out of Sasuke's view. But Sasuke had seen it. Pain.

Sasuke's expression turned sad, and he tentatively grabbed the other boy's hand. Naruto turned back in surprise, biting his lip at the contact.

"Naruto," Sasuke whispered pleadingly. "Can you tell me more about... us?"

. . .

Naruto watched the beautiful raven-haired boy sleeping beside him. His eyes were closed, dark eyelashes carressing those pale cheeks, and his mouth was slightly parted as he breathed slowly and evenly. He looked innocent and vulnerable in sleep, but then again, he seemed like that when he was awake now, too. The blonde teen gasped lightly when Sasuke snuggled closer, unconsciously clinging to Naruto's shirt. Naruto watched him tenderly, a protective look in his eyes as he brushed loose strands of blue-black hair away from Sasuke's flawless face. His heart contracted painfully.

This experience was definitely on the list of the hardest things Naruto had ever had to do.

He had told Sasuke to get some rest, and that tomorrow he would tell him about their bond. Sasuke had pouted, but then nodded drowsily as he drifted off into a dreamless sleep. Naruto hadn't been able to answer the question at that moment; this sudden change was still fresh and was really taking its toll on the poor blonde. It was just so hard to accept that Sasuke really was gone... well, the old one at least. The one that had laughed with him, cried with him, comforted him, fought with him, insulted him, believed in him. The Sasuke that remembered him... the one that no longer existed.

_At least he's still alive_, Naruto thought, hopelessly trying to think up a positive point to the situation. But it barely helped, because to Naruto it really did feel like Sasuke was dead. He missed his rival and best friend and it broke him into pieces on the inside. _How could I let this happen?_

His slim body tensed when Sasuke nuzzled comfortably into the crook of Naruto's neck, sighing contentedly in his sleep. Naruto couldn't resist. He kissed the raven gently on the forehead, relaxing his body back into the mattress, and snaked an arm around the snoozing Uchiha's waist. It still felt nice to be close to him, but it hurt too, almost more than it was worth. Naruto buried his face in Sasuke's midnight locks, his aqua eyes shimmering.

"I'll bring you back Sasuke," Naruto murmured soundlessly, but with determination. "I'll find a way to get your memories back, I promise."

The sleeping form merely clutched Naruto tighter, humming slightly against his collarbone, causing the blonde to whimper at the constant hell known as his life.

* * *

><p>Sasuke was awoken by a few rays of sunshine protruding from the single window of the small apartment, burning his eyelids. He had felt so warm, dangit... He groaned softly, not wanting to leave the comforting warmth of Naruto's bed, and slowly opened his eyes.<p>

And stared.

He couldn't control the burning red heat that crept up his face as he stared frozen at the body against his. One of his hands was tangled in Naruto's soft blonde hair, while the other was fisted in his black tank. His face was pressed against the blonde's neck, his forehead being grazed by Naruto's lips as he breathed evenly in his sleep. Naruto's arms were wrapped firmly around the Uchiha's waist, preventing him from escaping. Sasuke went rigid for a moment, wondering what the heck was wrong with himself, but slowly relaxed, deciding not to attempt to jump away. Naruto murmured his name softly, still deep asleep. Sasuke let a small smile grace his features. He wouldn't wake the blonde, not when they were both so comfortable; he probably needed this. Sasuke closed his eyes again, breathing in Naruto's scent. Honeysuckle and sunshine... well, that is if sunshine had a smell. It was intoxicating. He laid there, snuggled up in Naruto's arms, and let his thoughts take over again.

Sasuke was a ninja, and apparently a very good one. But of course he didn't remember any of that, and that's why he would be heading out with Naruto and Kakashi today to test his skills. It was strange, really... wondering what kind of abilities he had before his memory lapse. He decided that he would ask Naruto when he finally woke up. Sasuke sighed, sounding hopeless.

_I wonder what kind of person I was..._ _Judging by my team-mates reactions to me the other day, Sasuke Uchiha doesn't act like this at all, and that's why they had looked so suspicious at first._ Naruto pulled Sasuke tighter against his body, humming contentedly. This earned another deep blush to coat the Uchiha's face. _And this... was it a crush? Had Sasuke Uchiha been in love with Naruto Uzumaki?_ Sasuke watched the blonde as he slept, smiling a little at a bit of drool on his lip. _Man, would it ever be awkward if he didn't..._ Naruto shifted again, wedging his knee between Sasuke's thighs. The raven teen gasped, gripping Naruto's shirt hard.

_Oh sweet mother, this is bad..._

Sasuke tried to squirm away, unsuccessfully. Just then Naruto's sleepy blue eyes fluttered open.

"Morning Sasuke," he mumbled drowsily, apparently oblivious to the intimate position they were in. He tried to get up, grunting when he realized that he couldn't. That's when Naruto noticed that his body was tangled with Sasuke's, his thigh rubbing against Sasuke's groin. He blushed as he stared at the equally red face of his rival. _Aw, dangit!_

"S-sorry about that! Heh..." Naruto apologized in embarrassment, quickly disentangling himself from the raven and hopping out of bed. He closed his eyes in a sheepish grin, rubbing the back of his head. Sasuke sat up slowly, nodding, and turned away to hide another blush.

"It must be awkward, sleeping with practically a stranger," Naruto murmured, his smile turning sad. There it was again, that anguished look in those cerulean eyes. Sasuke glanced up, feeling pathetic.

"I'm sorry," he whispered quietly, regret in his voice. Naruto grabbed the Uchiha's hand and gently squeezed.

"No... I'm sorry for not protecting you," Naruto said quietly, flashing a heart-breaking, painful smile. Sasuke winced, as Naruto pulled him up. "Let's get ready, it's already eleven. Kakashi said to meet at the bridge at seven, so he should be on his way there now."

Sasuke stared as the blonde teen stripped out of his tank top, and pulled on an orange pair of ninja pants. He noticed a dazzling, teal stone at the end of a necklace as Naruto pulled on a fitted black fishnet t-shirt. Briefly he wondered if it had any significant meaning...

Sasuke made up his mind.

"Naruto?" he asked hesitantly. Naruto turned around in the middle of putting on his black and orange jacket, and stared at the raven questioningly. Sasuke bit his lip. _I hope that this won't make things worse..._

"I want my memories back, will you help me find them?"

For a moment, Naruto just stared, dumfounded, at the half-naked Uchiha. Sasuke looked at the ground, hoping that there was even a way to get his memories back. He gasped softly as Naruto threw himself at the raven, burying his face in Sasuke's sweet-smelling, tousled morning-style, black hair. His arms wrapped around Sasuke's neck, hugging him tight against his chest.

"Are you sure?" Naruto asked in a cracked voice. Sasuke nodded, hesitantly wrapping his arms around the blonde's slender waist.

"Thank you," Naruto whispered gratefully. He reluctantly pulled away and walked towards the door, putting on his sandals. After quickly tying the Leaf headband around his shagging blonde hair, he flashed Sasuke a genuine smile and threw a relieved Sasuke his clothes. "Hurry up and get changed. Maybe after training I can show you around the village some more; it might jog your memory." Sasuke smiled back and nodded, turning around to change. For the moment, Naruto really did look happy; excited even. And that was all Sasuke had really wanted.

Five minutes later, Sasuke and Naruto were out the door, heading to Team 7's bridge to meet up with their old sensei. Not surprisingly, the silver-haired jounin was nowhere in sight when they arrived. Naruto sighed in annoyance, plopping down on the ground to wait for his lazy teacher. Sasuke leaned against the bridge, crossing his arms. Naruto smiled at that. It reminded him of their childhood.

"So exactly what kind of abilities did I have as a ninja before?" Sasuke asked rather curiously. Naruto pouted, grunting in irritation.

"Freakishly good ones..." Naruto muttered, causing the Uchiha to laugh. Naruto winced slightly; Sasuke never used to laugh like that.

"That's not what I meant, like what kind of moves did I have?"

Where was the superior smirk and the light bonk on the head? Naruto shook his head and forced a smile, trying not to notice what was missing.

"Well, for one thing you're really fast, but you're also very strong. I can't even count how many times you've broken my nose." Sasuke looked deeply disturbed and concerned by that. _Was I some sort of delinquent?_ Naruto chuckled at the teen's expression, and continued. "You have tons of powerful jutsus in you, too. To name a few, there's the Chidori that Kakashi taught you during the chunin exams, oh and of course your fire-style jutsu that runs in your Uchiha blood..."

The blonde went on and on, continually listing names of Sasuke's best techniques. Sasuke's obsidian eyes were wide by the end of Naruto's explanation, and all he could think was dang- Sasuke Uchiha is a beast.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Naruto exclaimed, grinning. Sasuke's jaw dropped. _There's MORE?_ "You have a kekkai-genkai, a special bloodline trait passed down the Uchiha clan; it's called the Sharingan." Oh, Sasuke liked the sound of that. He was about to ask Naruto to explain this 'Sharingan', when...

"Sorry I'm late boys, I was helping the elderly cross the street and-"

"Yeah, yeah, I've heard it all before sensei. Your excuses just get lamer and lamer." Naruto snorted, unamused, at the silver-haired jounin that had appeared in front of them, holding none other than the new volume of Make-Out Paradise. Naruto grumbled. "Psh, helping the elderly my a-"

"Now, now Naruto, show some respect," Kakashi drawled lazily, his visible eye curved in a smile as he cut his student off. Sasuke chuckled at the infuriated blonde. Kakashi glanced at Sasuke in surprise, a flicker of sadness crossing his eyes before he forced his emotions down again. _Maybe it's better this way, for Sasuke..._ He clapped his hands together excitedly, turning his attention back to the present moment. The copy-cat ninja grinned evilly.

"Alright Sasuke, let's see what you can do."


End file.
